I am submitting this comment regarding the issue of a State vs. a National Licensing Exam for ALF Administrators in Virginia. 

The Assisted Living industry is regulated in Virginia by the Dept of SS and is not regulated by Federal standards.  It therefore makes sense to utilize a State exam which would require our Administrators to have a thorough knowledge of the State regulations specific to Virginia.  This will allow our current Administrators to focus on the standards expected within Virginia which they already know and practice every day.  It will also allow a  higher pass rate on the exam and therefore a larger pool of licensed Administrators to choose from who truly know how to run a quality ALF in Virginia.